Current mode controlled power converters may be embodied in a unilateral or a bilateral topology wherein a forcing function, or power source, can be placed at either end of the converter. That is, the load and the source may be interchanged. As a result, in a bilateral power converter topology the current may pass through the converter in either direction.
As an example, in a satellite bilateral battery charge and discharge system power may be drawn from a battery, or supplied to the battery from a solar array source. Conventional control topologies for such systems employ from two to four separate control loops to control the current (variable 1) and to simultaneously output a voltage (variable 2). However, the use of multiple control loops adds complexity, cost, weight, and increases the power consumption to the system, all of which are disadvantageous, especially in a power conversion system designed for use on a space-based platform.